ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has issuedspecial permits to Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) andtwo governors of the Kingdom to hunt endangered bird species houbarabustards.

The permits have been issued for the hunting season 2020-21 while certainhunting areas have been allocated in Punjab and Balochistan to the royalsof the Arab country.

Besides MBS, the Pakistan government has issued permits to Prince Fahad binSultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Governor of Tabuk and Prince Mansour binMohammad S. Abdul Rehman Al-Saud, Governor of Hafr Al-Batin.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ deputy chief of protocol (P&I) issued thepermits, which have been delivered to Saudi Embassy to be sent to thehunters, Dawn News reported.

The migratory bird is not only protected under various international natureconservation agreements but its hunting is also banned under wildlifeprotection laws in Pakistan. Local residents are not allowed to hunt theendangered bird.

Houbara bustard, a habitant to Central Asia’s colder regions, used tomigrate to southwards every year due to harsh weather condition in itsregion.

The issuance of the permits to hunt the endangered bird shows a shift inopinion of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who used to slammed the predecessorrulers for issuing such permits.

As per the permits, MBS has been allocated Layyah and Bhakkar districts inPunjab for hunting, Prince Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud allocateddistrict Awaran, district Noshki, and district Chaghai (excluding NokKundi) in Balochistan while Prince Mansour bin Mohammad S. Abdul RehmanAl-Saud has been allocated Dera Ghazi Khan district in Punjab.